The mission of the Massachusetts Policy and Organizing Leadership Academy (The Academy) is to help leaders and organizations effectively and confidently participate in public life and influence the advancement of social, economic and racial justice.

So, public policy advocates, what are you doing tomorrow? Planning to promote positive policy change in your state? You will find keys to building a winning public policy campaign in this little book Lobbying on a Shoestring Check out the introduction outlining the three rules of Lobbying and the Hero Opportunity

Lobbying on a Shoestring offers a common-sense, practical approach to political action. Premised on the idea that real people should have a real impact on the development of public policy, this powerhouse of a paperback conveys truths about the legislative process and hard-won, strategic insights. The 2018 Revised Edition gets you and your clients up and...

from Ali Noorani’s Huffington’s Post in part…. Less than a week to go till the March FOR America and the immigration blame game is kicking into full gear. Democrats are blaming Republicans, Republicans are blaming Democrats. Meanwhile, the DC punditry – aided and abetted by a front pageWashington Post story that doesn’t have a source to cite – is tripping...

Joan Vennochi does it again. A sharp spin on a current hot debate — in this case revenues Here in part TAX BREAKS for Ben Affleck. Tax hikes for everyone else. As he calls for $1.9 billion in new taxes, that proposal didn’t add up for Governor Deval Patrick. So, he’s also proposing to cap the film tax...

From the Brookline Patch in part The bill looks to close loopholes in existing state laws, require mental health background checks, strengthen gun storage requirements and require liability insurance for gun owners. The following is a press release sent by the office of state Rep. David Linsky, D-Natick. State Rep. David P. Linsky announced today...

Fom RH Reality Check Domestic Workers Rights The attention gap for this issue is particularly unfortunate in light of how hard domestic workers are toiling not just in their jobs, but also to advocate for themselves. The successful campaign for a New York Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights which passed in 2010, and the campaign in California which...

Vote 17 Lowell — still working at setting an example for the rest of the country. We were very happy to be featured in the The New York Times Upfront magazine for students all across the country to read about our efforts to lower the voting age in Lowell! from the Free Library In 2009, city...

News : Nearly six years after a bipartisan commission sounded the alarm about a transportation system in a crisis so severe that it carried a shortfall of nearly $1 billion a year, Governor Deval Patrick will ask lawmakers to solve the problem with a plan that includes higher taxes. Comment: Are we serious about fulling funding...

THE CHILDREN AND I NEED SHELTER – LAST NIGHT WE SLEPT IN A CAR ( Massachusetts found poem)* Where were you sleeping before you slept in the car? How many nights have you spent in the car? Were your children with you? Do you own the car? Do you have the keys to the car?

You remember Tommy Finneran? He was forever complaining about the “aadvo-cats two step” that started off by lobbying to create new public programs that helped our poor elderly and disabled “clients” get health care, affordable safe housing, job training and placement, nutritious food and warm clothing for their families, and then — and THEN — taking...

All parents can agree that they want their children to attend quality schools. But while there is strong sentiment by some for neighborhood schools, many neighborhoods do not have access to quality schools. Parents and community leaders have asked for Boston education officials to focus on improving quality. Will Boston finally respond to parents’ demands...

The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has adopted “emergency” regulations barring most homeless families with children from emergency shelter unless they first sleep in a place “not meant for human habitation.” Families are being left with no safe place to stay as a result of this restrictive policy. AcrossMassachusetts, families are sleeping in...